Three drama productions by local Catholic high schools will compete at a regional level of the Sears Drama Festival in April after winning top honours at the Guelph-Wellington level.
Moving on to compete in the regionals at St. Benedict high school in Cambridge from April 16 to 19 are the three winners of “Outstanding Productions” awards at the local Sears Drama Festival, which was held last week at Our Lady of Lourdes high school.
The three winners are: Bishop Macdonell high school’s production of “Waiting” by Ethan Coen, which was directed by Jameson DiNucci and Nolan Henshall; Our Lady Of Lourdes high school’s production of “This Is A Play” by Daniel MacIvor, directed by Erin Christopherson; and St. James high school’s production of “When War Was Just A Game” by Megan Kenney, Serena Lowery and Adrianna Woodburn, which was directed by Kyelle Byne.
Some public high schools in the Upper Grand District School Board that normally compete at the local Sears festival didn’t do so this year, because of a teachers’ withdrawal from extracurricular activities to protest the provincial government’s imposition of new contracts under Bill 115.
The adjudicator at the local festival, held Feb. 13 to 15, was actor, playwright and director Mary Francis Moore.
She presented the Stage Manager Award to Caleb Allen of John F. Ross Collegiate.
Moore also presented these Awards of Excellence and Awards of Merit:
Awards of Excellence
• Set design – Kay Hillyer of Our Lady of Lourdes
• Directing – Abbie Newell McGarr of John F. Ross
• Directing – Erin Christopherson of Our Lady of Lourdes
• Acting – Matisse ApSimon-Megens of John F. Ross
• Light and sound – Jameson DiNucci and Ryan Fazzari of Bishop Macdonell.
 Awards of Merit
• Music – Alpha Kayondo of Our Lady of Lourdes
• Lighting – Michael Muller of Our Lady of Lourdes
• Lighting – T.J. Betts of John F. Ross
• Lighting – Kyle White of John F. Ross
• Acting – Kavya Yoganathan of Our Lady of Lourdes
• Acting – Monica McGarr of Our Lady of Lourdes
• Directing – Emily Malcomson, Courtney Seguin, Jordan DiLeonardo, Amanda Moniz and Melanie McCraig of Bishop Macdonell.